Friday, December 5, 2008
MG and C's Great-Grandfather
Clyde was my Papa. He died when I was 5.
It's kind of funny that BJ and I work together in the business he owns (rocket science), and my mom and step-dad own a business (the chapel and ballroom where Megan's wedding was), and mom's parents (in the video) started TFT (Stewart is my mom's brother). BJ's grandparents also owned a business together (they built a lot of the apartment buildings and fraternities in town, renovated the courthouse, owned an apartment complex or 12...). A lot of times when we tell people that we work together, we'll hear, "Oh, I could never work with my spouse!" but it's pretty normal for us. Neither of my grandparents enjoyed long lives, Papa was only 52 when he died, and Grandma was 62. I'll bet that they're glad that they spent most of their days working together to build a company and a family.
I know that I'm grateful to spend those working hours with the person I love most in the world. Sure, we bump noses occasionally (especially when I have to arrange travel for him - for some reason, that just drives me bonkers. He and I have very different ideas about how to arrange travel...), but the overwhelming majority of the time, we're working as a team. We've learned a lot of skills at the office that help us at home, and vice versa. Frankly, sometimes I don't know how people who aren't married manage to work together day in and day out!!
Anyway, back to the video, I guess it was on back in October, but I just got the memo. Thanks, Aunt Julie, for the tip!
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6 comments:
Wow, that's a cool video.
Anny and I used to work together. Sometimes I miss it, but usually I don't. I tend to work in bursts and not work in bursts. Anny is always going, even when there is nothing to do.
Things would probably be different, though, if I was excited about what I was doing. I'm currently not, and that does not help. :o)
Since you were just short of 5 1/2 years old when Papa died, what do you remember about him?
Make that 6 1/2 years old. My bad.
Did you know that TFT was recently on How it's Made too!! I was really a cool segment
-Kelly
Anon -
I don't remember much. What I do remember is that he was big (tall, and "jolly" by the time I came along). I remember sitting on his lap and laying against him, and feeling like I was being held by a great big teddy bear. I remember the way his pipe smelled. I have fleeting memories of the house in Shorewood, and of his office in the old shop. I remember that Grandma had a paperweight thing on her desk with a lantern on it that would turn green when you shook it, then would clear up and turn back to yellow if you left it alone that I liked to play with. I also remember that I loved watching her type. She was so fast. I thought it was so cool. I liked to watch her play the piano too.
I remember getting a ring stuck on my finger and having to have it cut off by someone - either Stu or Papa - in his office at the old shop. It was probably Stu, now that I think harder, because I remember that pretty clearly to have been under 5 years old at the time.
I remember the test tones over the fire radio that happened at 8 pm, but again, those sounds were still around at my uncles' houses when I was growing up, so I don't know if I authentically associate them with Papa. I remember someone got me a doll for Christmas one year that was as tall as me, and I remember playing with it at the house in Shorewood. I have no idea what happened to that doll, and it could be another one of those memories I made up (hence the blog - I have an AWFUL memory).
I remember being at the doctor's office, which was next door to the hospital, and Grandma being there and telling us he was in the hospital. Again, this may or may not have happened. I remember having a very bad feeling about him being sick. I remember being really afraid, and everyone reassuring me that he was going to be fine. Then, I remember my mom telling us kids, in Chuck's room (the next day?) that he'd died. Megan was really tiny, and Chuck was younger than MG is now. They didn't understand, but I did. I'd never seen my mom, or my aunts and uncles, upset like that. Grandpa Shank had already died, so I knew what it meant. I remember the funeral. I remember the bagpipes, and that there were hundreds of flowers, and that the line of cars seemed to go on forever. I remember the fire truck.
I hope my mom, aunts, and uncles will correct any misinformation! I was so little...
Amy
Papa died in September of 1982. You were 6, Chuck was 3 and Megan was 1. You were aware that Chuck and Megan were too young to remember Papa, and you knew you were lucky to be old enough to be able to remember him. Thanks.
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